The Art of Higher Learning: The Creative Campus and the Evolving Phenomenon of University Arts Engagement

In the wake of the 104th American Assembly conference of 2004 that focused on the intersection of the arts and higher education, energized activity around the notion of the Creative Campus has spread throughout colleges and universities across the United States. The arts have played a significant role on college campuses for many years, but it was not until recently that a community of performing arts administrators and campus-based presenters initiated a rejuvenated national conversation on the topic. This activity has been facilitated by shifts in higher education following the turn of the millennium, the emergence of funding entities interested in embedding the arts into the life of the academy, the evolution of the performing arts presenter into active producer and campus leader, and the development of university-based strategic planning initiatives around the arts. University performing arts presenters are working to strengthen the relationship of the arts with the campus and sustain such efforts into the future.